Pumpkin Cupcakes

I asked Chef T what flavor of cupcake she wanted and her answer was a surprise. “Pumpkin” she told me.

I clarified that I meant cupcake and not a muffin, but she insisted that pumpkin flavor was really what she wanted. So here we are, making the recipe for these Pumpcake Cupkins and I realized there are quite a few bonuses to having them be made from pumpkin.

First off, pumpkin puree has a fantastic texture for a cupcake base ~ we were so amazed to see these actually rise like a glutinous cupcake would! It was magic.

Secondly, a nutty flavor goes really well with the autumn flavors of pumpkin spices, so we decided to make a cashew frosting for the first time. In this recipe we went for a more sour frosting (“cream cheese”), rather than sweet, and it definitely paid off. The frosting contrasts nicely with the autumn flavors.

That being said, these are great regardless of what season it is. I mean, pumpkin is good for you, gotta get that extra iron!

Keep your frosting on your cupcake, not the floor,
Your favorite alternative chefs, K & T

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Pumpkin Cupcakes

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Batter

• ½ cup almond milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 eggs or flaxseed “egg” for vegan version
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup coconut oil melted
• 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup cup almond flour
• 2 tbsp tapioca flour or arrowroot flour
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Cashew Cream “Cheese” Frosting – 12 cupcakes worth

• 1 cup raw cashews soaked in very hot water 1 hour or cool water 6-8 hours
• ½ cup plain coconut yogurt or other plain yogurt
• ½ cup coconut oil melted
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp sea salt

Instructions

Batter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and prepare 12 muffin tins with liners.
2. In a small bowl, mix the almond milk and vinegar. Allow the mixture to curdle for at least 5 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the egg (or flaxseed “egg”) and whisk.
4. Add the baking soda to the almond milk and vinegar mixture. Stir to combine and let it fizz for a minute.
5. Pour the small bowl into the large bowl with the egg. Then, mix in the maple syrup, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and salt.
6. Add the rice flour, almond flour, tapioca flour, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon into the large bowl. Mix together ~ batter should be thin and pourable.
7. Pour the mix evenly into each of the muffin tins.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until poking them with a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Let cool for 10-15 minutes then move them to a cooling rack to let them cool completely or else the frosting will slide off and the wrappers might stick.

Frosting

1. Drain all the water from the cashews.
2. In a high speed blender, add all the frosting ingredients. Blend on high speed for a few seconds at a time, using a spatula to scrape the sides and ensure everything is properly blended.
3. Move the frosting into a medium, freezer-safe bowl or container. Cover the frosting and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from the freezer and mix well to evenly distribute the frosting, place back in the freezer for 30 more minutes.
5. Remove from the freezer again and mix until fluffy and soft. (You can microwave for 10-15 seconds if the frosting is too frozen)
6. Once the mixture is malleable, it can be used to frost cupcakes either by spreading with a knife or by piping.